Sheetsxsheet i



Jan. 22, 1952 R. A. BIRCH 2,583,038

GUM MASSAGER AND TOOTH CLEANER Filed June 26, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR FOBEPTA. BIRCH ATTOR Jan. 22, 1952 BIRCH 2,583,038

GUM MASSAGER AND TOOTH CLEANER Filed June 26, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVE NTOR EOBERTABIRCH if: ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 22, 1952.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a gum massage device.

It is a well known fact, that the gums of human beings recede due to lack of proper blood circulation. Receding gums cause the teeth to become 1oose,'and in time the teeth have to be extracted. It has been found that by massaging the gums with the fingers, the gums retain their color, and to some degree remain firm. Although the fingers help to prevent the gums from receding, it is not altogether satisfactory for the reason it is difiicult to massage the inner gums.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a gum massage device that will effectively massage the upper and lowergums bothinside and outside.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of means associated with the device 'that will gently engage the gums and uniformly -massage them. I

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of soft rubber pads having means "for engaging the gums at the teeth line- ,A still-further object of the present invention is the provision of soft rubber pads having a plurality of various size gum massaging means.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of soft rubber pads that are detachable and easily. cleaned.

v A still further object of the present invention is the provision of means upon which the soft rubber pads are mounted.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of means for moving one of said means upon which one of the soft rubber pads Like reference numerals indicate like parts in all of the views.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

V Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the massage device without the soft rubber pads.

Figure 2 is a top view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an elevational view of one of the soft rubber pads showing the arrangement of the gum engaging means.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical view of another soft rubber pad.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line 1---'! of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of another modified form of the invention.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of another modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l5 represents the gum massage device comprising a pair of handles [6 and I1, handle I6 having a reduced front end l8 with transverse bore and a depending pin l9. Handle l! is provided with an angular portion 20, slot 2! in the angular portion, a tubular portion 22, one end of which is integral with a band 23 that is of a substantially U-shape configuration, the band tapering toward the ends, the ends 24 being rounded. The reduced end I8 is pivotally connected in the slot 2| by a rivet 25.

A slide bar 26 is mounted in the tubular portion 22, one end of the plate carrying a substantially U-shaped band 21, the top edge 28 of which is horizontal, the ends 29 being rounded, the bottom edge 30 being curved. The end of the slide bar 26 is provided with an aperture that receives the pin [9. The bands 23 and 21 are held in spaced inoperative position by a spring 3| that is carried by the handle H, the end 32 of the spring impinging the top face of the handle 16. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the bands 23 and 21 are held in spaced relation by spring 3|, these views representing the inoperative position of the device.

The rubber pad shown in Figure 4 is adapted for engagement with and disengagement from I the band 23, and it comprises a body 33 of resilient rubber, having rolled edges and a fiat back wall 35, the inner wall of the rolled edges being in spaced relation to the flat back wall 35 providing a channel 36 for engagement with the bancl'23 and securely holding the pad on the band.

23. The outer face 31 of the pad tapers from its rolled edges outwardly toward its mid-way point, the body being thicker at this point as shown in cross-section in Figure 5, then at any other point. The outer face 3! is provided with a plurality of knobs 38 that are adjacent the rolled edges, and

a plurality of smaller knobs 39. Adjacent the horizontal center line of the outer face, and on each side thereof, there are provided ridges 40 that are of substantially V-shape configuration, and these ridges are so positioned that they will be in alignment with and engage the outer upper and lower gum line 4 I of the gums. Between the ridges 40 there is provided a plurality of conical shaped studs 42 that are adapted to engage the teeth 55and serve as a cleaning medium. Midway the ends of the body 33 and the rolled edges 34 there is provided a slot 44 that allows the slide bar 26 to move back and forth freely so that there is nobinding of the plate with the pad.

The rubber pad shown fragmentarily in Figure 6 is adapted for engagement with and disengagement from the band 2i, and it comprises a body 45 also of resilient rubber and having rolled edges 46, and a flat back wall 4?, the rolled edges being in spaced relation to the flat back wall, providing a channel 43 for engagement with the band 21, the body being tapered to fit the contour of the band 21. The outer face-4530f the pad tapers from its rolled edges outwardly toward its midway point, the body being thicker at this point as shown in the cross-sectional view Figure 7, and it is to be noted that in this view the pad is mounted on the band 2?. The outer face 43 is provided with a plurality of knobs 53 that are adjacent the rolled edges, and a plurality of smaller knobs 5|. Adjacent the horizontal center line of the outer face and on each side thereof, there are provided ridges 52 that are of substantially V-shape configuration, and these ridges are so positioned that they will be in alignment with and engage the inner gum lines 53 of the upper and lower gums. Between the ridges 52 there is provided a plurality of conical shaped studs 54 that are adapted to engage the teeth '55 and serve as a cleansing medium. Mid-way the ridges 52 and the ends of the body 45 there is an element 56 extending from the outer surface or face 49 to prevent the teeth from contacting slide bar 23. The body 43 and the element 58 are provided with a slot 51 that is engaged by the slide bar 26.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 8 the handles 95, $6, tubular portion 91, slide bar 93, pin 99 and spring I30 are similar to the elements shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the handles being in reversed position. The tubular portion 91 on one end is provided with a band IDI upon which is mounted a resilient massage pad I32 having a concave area I34 mid-way the top and bottom edges, the bottom edge I05 and top edge I36 being semi-circular. The slide bar 98 is provided on one end with a three quarter circular band It! upon which is mounted a resilient massage pad I08 having a concave area I09 mid-way the top and bottom edges, the bottom edge I50 and the top edge III being rolled or semi-circular, and due to the configuration of these pads a simulated action similar to using thumb and forefinger on the gums will be obtained.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 9, the handles H5, H3, tubular portion II'I, plate H8, pin H9 and spring I20 are similar to the showing in Figure 13. The tubular portion II? is provided with a transverse slot I2I in which are mounted two transverse arms I22, each of the arms being provided with a slot l23 that is disposed at an angle, the arms being retained in the tubular portion Ill and connected to plate II8 by a rivet I24. The outer ends of the transverse arms are providedwith apertures I25 that receive shafts I26, upon which are mounted resilient massage elements I2'I. In this form of the invention when the handles I I5, II6 are moved the plate II8 is moved and the arms I22 due to the slots I23 are moved back and forth, the gums being contacted by the massage elements I21. v

In the use of the device shown in Figure 1, the pad 33 is affixed to band 23 and pad 45 afllxed to band 21. The device is then ready to be inserted into the mouth of a person, the elements on pad 23 facingthe outer wall of the upper and .15 lower gums, the elements on pad 21 facing the '23 while the massage elements on pad 4 5 engage the outer gum walls. Constant'manipulatlon of the handle I6 causes a light impingement of the massage elements on the pads 33 and 45 to the walls of the gums, gently massaging them, the massaging causing blood to circulate in'theg'ums, handle I5 being responsive to spring 3 I. After the'g'ums have been massaged and the teeth cleaned, the pin 25 is removed, releasing handle It, the pin I9 disengaged from-slide bar 26, the band 21 with pad '45 and plate 26 removed from the tubular portion 22, and pads 33 and 45 removed from the respective bands and washed.

In the operation of the device shown in Figure 8, the configuration of the pads is such that the gums will be massaged in a more effective way than a person could by merely using thumb or forefinger.

In Figure 9 the massage is accomplished by placing the resilient balls I21 against the gum, then s ueezin the handles, and the massage elements I21 will rotate due to the mouhtin'gcf the shaft as the handles are moved transversely by the hand.

From the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and operation will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and 'I desire to have it understood that the device shown is'merely illustrative and that such changes may be tirade within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed is;

1. A dental device for massaging teeth and gums comprising a fixed member, a movable member mounted on said fixed member and being lineally slidable with respect thereto, a resilient pad on said fixed member, a resilient pad on said movable member, and means connected 5 to said movable member for reciprocating said movable member with respect to said n xed member whereby said resilient pads are reciprocated with respect to each other.

2. A dental device for massaging teeth and gums comprising a fixed member, a movable member mounted centrally in said fixed member and being lineally slidable with respect thereto, a resilient pad on said fixed member, a resilient pad on said movable member, and means connected to said movable member for reciprocating in the channeled portion, and means on said fixed.

handle and on said slidable member for massaging and cleaning the gums and teeth.

4. A dental instrument comprising a fixed handle, a movable handle pivotally connectedl to said fixed handle, a channeled portion on said fixed handle, a plate carried by said fixed handle, a resilient pad on said plate, a member slidably mounted in said channeled portion and hav- 6 ing one end connected to said movable handle whereby movement of said movable handle will slide the slidable member in the channeled portion, and a plate on said sliding member and carrying a resilient pad, said resilient pads being adapted to massage the gums and teeth.

ROBERT A. BIRCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 827,965 Engel Aug. 7, 1906 2,227,276 Salit Dec. 31, 1940 2,354,780 Stewart Aug. 1, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 169,217 Great Britain Sept. 9, 1921 

